Northwest golfers take first step to making U.S. Open at Pebble Beach

Several golfers form the Pacific Northwest, including both amateurs and professionals, completed the first step in playing in the United States Open this month at Pebble Beach.

Qualifying for the U.S. Open comes via regional and then sectional qualifiers. In the two regional qualifiers in the Pacific Northwest, a total of 14 golfers advanced to the next round, which will be held early this month in Portland.

At the qualifier at Overlake Country Club in Bellevue, Jeff Coston of Semiahmoo Resort in Blaine, Wash. led the way with a 4-under-par 67. Others to make it past the first stage of qualifying at Overlake included Brian Thornton of Sumner, Derek Berg of Duvall, Tze Huang Choo of Singapore and Richard Lee of Bellevue all shot 69. Advancing to the next round through a playoff were Chris Williams of Moscow, Doug Morgan of Coquitlam and Isaac Weintraub of Santa Cruz.

At the qualifier at Langdon Farms near Portland, amateur Alex Moore of Richland led the way with a 67. He was followed by two more amateurs Nick Sherwood of Albany and Isaiah Telles of Tualatin. Also advancing ere Chad Cocco of Bend, Chad Fribley of Tualatin and Bob Rannow of Florence.